another word for heartbeat

My husband and I were the two people who hated each other most in this world. He hated me for tearing him away from the woman he loved. And I hated him because that his heart remained occupied by another woman. For eight years of marriage, the words we spoke to each other most often were not love, nor duty, but curses. Yet on the day the city fell, everything changed, the enemy banners were already visible beyond the inner gate. He rode ahead and took the road, putting his body between the enemy and my escape. “Live,” he said quietly. Then he raised his blade and did not look back. Arrows came like rain. As they tore into him, he turned his head once—only once— After that, his body held the road,and nothing passed. “If there is another life…may Your Highness grant me the mercy to belong to her.” That night, with the city in ruins and the people either dead or fleeing, I climbed the highest tower of the palace. I leapt. When I opened my eyes again, I went to the king. “The northern kingdoms require a royal bride,” I said. “I will go.” This lifetime, I will be the one to cross the border. In my previous life, he died believing he had failed her. This time, I will not allow that regret to exist. I will take the marriage meant for her. I will carry the crown meant to exile her. I will walk into a future she should never have to endure. Let her stay. Let him protect her. Let him live his life believing he has finally kept his promise.

High school graduate Annie Xavier dies in an accident on the day she's accepted to Quinbert University, but her mother, Lydia Smith,misunderstands her and pushes her away,causing her to give up the will to live.Manipulated by her adopted daughter, Lydia unknowingly harvests Annie's organs, including a heart for the adopted daughter. Only when the funeral home calls does Lydia uncover the shocking truth and expose the adopted daughter and her father's scheme.

My husband and I were the two people who hated each other most in this world. He hated me for tearing him away from the woman he loved. And I hated him because that his heart remained occupied by another woman. For eight years of marriage, the words we spoke to each other most often were not love, nor duty, but curses. Yet on the day the city fell, everything changed, the enemy banners were already visible beyond the inner gate. He rode ahead and took the road, putting his body between the enemy and my escape. “Live,” he said quietly. Then he raised his blade and did not look back. Arrows came like rain. As they tore into him, he turned his head once—only once— After that, his body held the road,and nothing passed. “If there is another life…may Your Highness grant me the mercy to belong to her.” That night, with the city in ruins and the people either dead or fleeing, I climbed the highest tower of the palace. I leapt. When I opened my eyes again, I went to the king. “The northern kingdoms require a royal bride,” I said. “I will go.” This lifetime, I will be the one to cross the border. In my previous life, he died believing he had failed her. This time, I will not allow that regret to exist. I will take the marriage meant for her. I will carry the crown meant to exile her. I will walk into a future she should never have to endure. Let her stay. Let him protect her. Let him live his life believing he has finally kept his promise.

Shawn Quinn, the CEO of the Quinn Group, had searched across the country but had failed to find the woman with a peach blossom-shaped birthmark on her waist. This unique mark signified that the woman was the only pure Yin body in existence. Shawn had been born with a pure Yang body and had to marry that woman to dissolve the Yang poison within him. If he didn't do this, he would soon die.

Three years later, when they reunited, Donna's first words to Henry were: "Mr. Ferrell, let's have a fake marriage."Having been deceived out of her fortune by the boyfriend she had supported for years, Donna finally realized the price she had paid. Well, if that's the case, she'd just switch to a different man.At the civil affairs office, Henry grabbed her arm tightly: "I never said I wouldn't agree."

Emily Silva and Julian Ford sign their divorce papers and somehow end up in ancient famine-era by nightfall, suddenly parents to two children they've never met. Stranded and responsible, they discover they're bound to a system that lets them sell antiques for coins to buy food as a lifeline in a starving village. With no way home and survival demanding cooperation,they shelve the divorce. What starts as pragmatic partnership slowly becomes something neither of them planned: a real marriage, a real family, and a life they didn't know they wanted until they were living it.

Brilliant but penniless top student Lucia Gray carries a secret list of names she swears to take revenge on. With the help of her best friend Megan Cole, she sets her sights on Sebastian Duvall, the most powerful man in Northvale.Every move she makes is calculated, every word carefully chosen.Yet in this dangerous game of strategy and desire, it is Sebastian who finds himself drawn in—captivated by Lucia's intelligence, and falling for her one step at a time.Across the chasm of wealth and status, the two clash, conquer, and ultimately discover something far greater than victory—an unexpected, all-consuming love.

Three years later, when they reunited, Donna's first words to Henry were: "Mr. Ferrell, let's have a fake marriage."Having been deceived out of her fortune by the boyfriend she had supported for years, Donna finally realized the price she had paid. Well, if that's the case, she'd just switch to a different man.At the civil affairs office, Henry grabbed her arm tightly: "I never said I wouldn't agree."

"Nina Bale, once a proud and battle-hardened general, is forced to retire from the military after suffering a serious injury. Her father, Ian Bale, resigns from his post to care for her. Seizing the opportunity, his other wife, Leah Lowe, schemes to marry Nina off to a frail, sickly man—while planning for her own daughter, Tara Bale, to wed the esteemed Prince Neil.But on the day of the double wedding, everything goes wrong.In a twist of fate, Nina and Tara end up in the wrong bridal sedans. When the veils are lifted, it's already too late—Tara is married to the sickly man, and Nina becomes Prince Neil's consort."

Emily Silva and Julian Ford sign their divorce papers and somehow end up in ancient famine-era by nightfall, suddenly parents to two children they've never met. Stranded and responsible, they discover they're bound to a system that lets them sell antiques for coins to buy food as a lifeline in a starving village. With no way home and survival demanding cooperation,they shelve the divorce. What starts as pragmatic partnership slowly becomes something neither of them planned: a real marriage, a real family, and a life they didn't know they wanted until they were living it.

With a sharp gunshot, my husband of twenty years, Marcus De Luca, rushed in front of me and took the bullet for me. As he lay dying, he spoke gently. “Nerina, live well.” I held him in my arms. My tears kept falling as I pressed hard against the wound in his chest. But he only touched my hair. His eyes fell on Vivian’s body. “She’s dead. I have no reason to live either.” It felt like a bullet had gone through my head. All the blood in my body froze. “She suffered in Sicily for twenty years.” “She finally came back, and now she died in front of me.” “Please stay alive. Bury me with her.” “If there is another life, don’t let her go to Sicily in your place again.” “Please make us whole.” His hand fell. My world collapsed. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in front of Marcus’s father. The old Don looked at me. “Your wedding with Marcus is set for three days from now.” I lifted my head and spoke calmly. “Marcus’s bride should not be me. It should be Vivian.” “As for Sicily, I’ll go.”

My fiancé leaves me jilted on our wedding day and marries my sister. As I stand there, feeling humiliated, William Sterling gets on one knee before me and asks me to marry him. Everyone in my city knows of him—he's an elite bachelor and every woman's dream. Yet now, he slips a wedding band onto my ring finger and confesses his love for me. "I've always loved you, and I thank the heavens for giving me the chance to spend my life with you." We get married, and he treats me well. Everyone knows that he won't fall for anyone other than me. Everything changes when I accidentally enter his studio in the seventh year of our marriage. I see that he's painted thousands of portraits of my sister, Ivy Winslow. Each one is a tender confession of his love for her. The man I love with all my heart earnestly prays to the heavens and utters his wish. He's willing to sacrifice anything for Ivy to be happy, including his life. It turns out what I thought was seven years of love was nothing but a lie. Ivy is the one he's loved all along. If that's the case, I'll back out. I'll leave in three days, and I hope he and Ivy can be happy together.

In the previous life, Evelyn Lester found that her roommate, Felice James, had planted malware on her phone and stolen her money. In the end, Evelyn was pushed off the roof by Felice and died. After Evelyn came back to the first day of college, Felice suggested traveling abroad again. This time, Evelyn put her smartphone in the dorm and took an ancient phone instead. She couldn't wait to see what Felice would do when she couldn't pretend to be wealthy again.

Five years ago, Rachel Summer married Leslie Fuller, only to be neglected after the wedding. When Leslie went bankrupt and became paralyzed, he thought the materialistic Rachel would abandon him, yet she stayed and cared for him devotedly. At first, Leslie believed she loved him, but after learning the truth, his defenses crumbled. Determined to win her heart for real, he resolved to rebuild his fortune so Rachel would never leave his side.

In my previous life, I gave everything for Kane — only to be locked in a dungeon by him, forced to watch our child be crushed to death, and die filled with endless hatred. Reborn on the day of my adulthood ceremony, with the entire Silver Moon Blood Clan watching, the Blood Prince gives me the right to choose one of his two sons to form an Eternal Blood Pact. Everyone expects me to choose Kane. Instead, I point to the man feared by all — the mad prince who returned from the Dark Ancient Forest. **"I choose Cass Nightshade."** The moment Kane’s face turns deathly pale, I know — this life, it’s finally my turn to take revenge. The bloodthirsty monster everyone calls a madman slowly reveals his obsessive tenderness only to me. "You chose me, Eve… Now you can never escape." Under the Blood Moon, the Eternal Blood Pact is sealed. This time, I marry the monster — just to crush my scumbag ex completely.

My brother-in-law started making a fuss about wanting to spend Christmas vacation at the beach, so I decided we'd make it a family trip. When my husband's adoptive sister got wind of it, she insisted on tagging along with her kid. Without a second thought, my husband went ahead and booked plane tickets for everyone—except me. He expected me to drive there with all the luggage. I thought at least someone in the family would speak up for me, but no, they all sided with him. Fine. If that's how they want it, then we'll go our separate ways—what's theirs is theirs, and what's mine is mine. But the moment I took that stance, the whole family suddenly started panicking…

Rayna risked her life to be pregnant for her husband Kyle, yet was betrayed by him before her sickbed. Her life was in danger due to Chelsea, Kyle's lover, who wrongly applied anesthetics. Then Kyle gave up saving Rayna's life and shirked responsibility. But Rayna's first love Jeffrey came to save her and revealed Kyle's true color who was later banned in the medical field. After recovery, Rayna married Jeffrey.

"Just because my wolf mom scratched Ava Shaw's favorite dress, Noah Potter called a butcher. He punished her seriously. I found her dying body and screamed at him. ""I told you before—I was raised by wolves. What you did to her is no different from killing my mother!"" Noah stayed cold. He covered Ava's eyes and stared at me. ""You are just a stray kid my stepmom picked up. Stop trying to fool me."" My wolf mom was still bleeding as she dragged herself toward me. I crawled to her and held her tight. ""I stayed here to repay Noah's family for helping the wolf pack. You chased me for miles because you could not let me go. I never thought I would end up hurting you instead."" That night, I held my wolf mom and knelt in front of Aunt Wendy's memorial. ""Aunt Wendy, the Potters' Zoo are everywhere now. They do not need my gift anymore. I should leave.""